Chapter One
The rings of energy glowed brightly upon the black fur, my own ears laying down passively, "You are fully aware that your particular…talent…will draw attention to our species and realm?"
The authority of his voice resonated down the halls from the chamber, "Equinox, Pyra was in danger! The protogen was attacking her…something was wrong with him. His eyes were almost fizzing in and out and were a shade of red I have never seen before", I pleaded for him to understand.
A look of understanding fell upon his face, "Your fondness for your Amicus has caused…complications, Fluxx", Equinox paused before continuing, "Don't get me wrong, we are happy you were paired it's just- ", I couldn't hold it back any longer, "I am the Anomaly of our kind."
He paused before replying, "I know that was a childhood nickname, but none of us think of you as that here."
I was not completely sure…a lot of my life I was treated as an outsider. I was constantly ousted…and used. I shook away the thoughts, "Equinox, you have my absolute respect…but I won't be able to comply with severing my Amicus. She was just singled out, chased into an alley, and attacked. Worst of all, it is a race that has grown very connected as of late, and I fear that-", he interrupted me, "-You might have garnished unwanted attention on the poor girl? Do what you must, Fluxx, I would never presume to force you to sever your Amicus. It is a rare opportunity, not found often enough."
I saw him glance down slightly to his own Necklace of Alligatio, "How is she doing?" I asked.
"Ash is doing fine", and I see he got my point.
"Nothing you wouldn't do for her, is there?" I asked already knowing the answer.
Equinox began massaging his temples, "Fluxx you really test me."
I smiled, "Again, you will always have my utmost respect. It was you who provided me this specific necklace. It was you who stood with me when I went through the trials. I owe a lot to you", I nodded in respect.
"I would do it all the same again", he stated, "but don't think I have gone soft on you. I will beat your ass into high heaven next time, understood?"
"Yes sir!" I declared relieved. "Uh, before I go, what should I do about- ", I stopped mid-sentence, a slight headache…I raised my hand and closed my eyes. As I brought my hand back down from signaling Equinox a quick hold, I focused on the necklace and I was soon seeing through Pyra's eyes…
"Video tapes suggest otherwise, young lady, you were seen…flying out of the alleyway! Not alone, but encompassed by some electric beast. Where you flew from, there was a dead protogen. Now, I don't see how you would have killed him without some sort of wound…or any marks of any kind for that matter. I am sure your friend who helped you fly away could answer a few of those questions", the police officer inquired.
"I already told you sir, I was attacked and I…", but she stopped herself.
"Yes, you say so, but the last I checked a 17-year-old human female with no marks or bruises to indicate a fight while I have a dead body of a fully capable Protogen? You can see my skepticism." The police officer pulled up a chair and sat down directly in front of her.
Pyra raised her hands to her necklace, 'Fluxx, they have video footage of you', she spoke directly to me.
'Are they charging you?' I asked solemnly. '
No but- ', the thought was cut short. "Look, I know this must be terrifying for you. Your parent's available for a call?" The human officer had noticed her spacing out. His brown but slightly greying hair was blocked mostly by the hat he was wearing, and his uniform almost appeared to be straight from an iron board…
"That would be my aunt, and she should already be on the way", Pyra stated darkly.
'Are you going to be ok?' I asked through the mental link. 'Please don't worry about me, they are after you', she replied. I nodded and pulled out from her surroundings…
I opened my eyes to see a very annoyed Equinox. "All ok?" he inquired.
"Pyra is being interrogated about the incident. They have footage of her leaving the area shortly before the police arrived", I replied.
The tact did not work, Equinox's fury was held in check, but could be seen, "You mean they saw you carrying her out of the area", he corrected.
"There is little I can do about that now sir", I replied.
"Aye, that is true", Equinox admitted. "Rinn has been looking for you", he added.
"Huh?" I stated surprised. "Is she ok?"
"Yes, she is just fine, just anxious. She is still waiting for someone to be her amicus", Equinox stated. Relieved, I made a mental note that I would have to go see her next.
"Thank you for being understanding Equinox", I stated gratefully. He nodded, and I rushed out the chamber quickly, 'Off to see Rinn', I thought as headed around another corner and down a flight of stairs leading into the underground caverns.
"Hiya Fluxx!" Rinn declared and ran up to me for a hug. I hugged back, but kind of stiffly, and she noticed. "What is wrong? Get in trouble again?" He green shades of fur ripples slightly.
"Eh, sort of", I stated with a chuckle. I heard a clamoring sound for a second, as if someone was stumbling in the other room.
"Oh, Ebony is here. First time I could convince her to come visit me down here. She is not a fan of the underground", she laughed. We both walked into the room to see Ebony making herself comfortable…well trying to, on the couch.
"Fluxx! What trouble is it this time?" She declared laughing with as slight edge of nervousness.
"Yes, what is it?" Rinn asked as she ran up and jumped on the couch next to Ebony.
I sat in the love seat right next to the couch, "Well, a protogen attacked Pyra last night." Alarm rippled through them both. "I couldn't get it to back down, so I did what I did best", I hesitated, "I sucked the being dry. I only did a little as a warning, but it only came at her harder. I had no choice but to…" I let my voice trail off.
Rinn placed her hand on my knee, "You did what you had to", she stated.
"Honestly, that is not what I am torn up about", I replied.
"You are more worried about what will happen to Pyra. She is being charged for murder, isn't she?" Ebony saw where my concerns were focused.
"They are looking for me. They have video footage of her being flown out." My reply charged with frustration, something they both took note of, "Well, if need be, Equinox might be willing to talk to the authorities. Our existence isn't completely unknown", Rinn added.
"I doubt it. There was something off about the protogen too. The behavior and coloration of it's eyes were severely off." Ebony's eyes flared white. Her white fur rippled as if a breeze went through the room, "What is wrong?" I asked her.
Her voice was low and full of concern, "You are not the only one to be having those issue. Supposedly there have been coverups lately, but we have lost a few of our own defending our amicus lately. We have lost Saro and Tyron."
Shock rippled through me… "Protogen attacks?" She nodded in response to my question.
Rinn shook her head, "What do you think it means?"
"That means somebody wants them set up. That or maybe the Primagen are making a move. Sick of just being treated as machines by the humans...and if they can cast the Anthros in a bad light, they might reduce on the human's allies", Ebony pointed out.
Her statement sent a chill down my spine. "Ebony, I hope your wrong. Either way, this is bad news especially if they are pinning everything on one of us", Rinn stated. A sudden jolt of worry spiked through the bond! I glowed bright and I closed my eyes. I opened them to be staring through Pyra's eyes once again, keeping my presence minimal...
"Amora, I am telling you the Fluxx didn't do anything wrong!" She pleaded. She was leaving the police station with her foster mother.
"Pyra, you know I don't blame him. I noticed a few of the Protogens that helped out around here were watching as I came in to get you", she replied, partially whispering. I noticed through Pyra's peripherals that a few human police officers looked at them in shock when they walked by. 'We coexist, but still shocking to see one of your own being raised by an Anthro, eh human?' I thought.
'Pyra, I am coming', I willed her way.
I opened my eyes to see Rinn and Ebony staring worried. "I must go", and as I glowed brighter, the necklace did as well, and I folding into it. Before returning to my corporeal form as I exited out of Pyra's necklace, and arced my way across the carpet ahead of Amora and Pyra. I stayed, a measly spark, and observed from inside through the glass. Five Protogen were waiting outside the building. Their eyes were glitching and red. I sprang into action!
Going through the controls of the automatic door, it short-circuited and flew open in a spray of sparks. As I did so, I drained the building of its power and consumed the wattage for that entire block, killing all cameras in the area, and I arced toward the Protogen in the front. I struck him in the face and I overloaded his system easily, drained him dry, and I powered the formerly living machine. It had flinched a bit, but was doing exactly what the others were doing. In my temporary body, indigo eyes filled the visor and I used its hands to tear at one its brethren. Taking it by surprise, I showered it with electricity from the fingertips, and the other three were upon me. They tore at the body and I ejected through its head and flew straight up to the clouds. The sky darkened up, no longer was it visible as day, and I gathered forth all the charges in the sky and aimed down. 'Pyra, stay inside', I commanded. I felt a wave of acknowledgment come through the bond. As a bolt of lightning, I launched myself with my garnished power down to the ground directly in front of the precinct as I full materialized. Energy rippled around me and I lowered my head down and roared. I burned energy into the force of the sound and influenced as much kinetic energy as possible, all directed the surviving Protogen. The buildings directly in front of me had their windows shattered and some doors even caved in under the magnitude of the sound.
The sound blew away the two dead ones, but the three Protogen pressed forward. Looking at all three of them, I siphoned their energy as they drew closer, my eyes burning with plasma radiating from them...but they would not stop! Opening my mouth again, I let loose a spray of plasma that vaporized two on the spot, damaging the third. I pounced on the third, cops rushing outside now, and bit it's head clean off. I turned to face the police who had their guns raised but cowered slightly and I dropped the head at my feet. Abruptly, I absolved all energy, returning to a noncorporeal state with a loud cracking sound and a flash of light as the sun returned, and I snuck right back into Pyra's necklace without being noticed. 'That was…intense', she willed to me.
The police rushed around to examine the bodies. A few Anthro police officers were among them. "What was that?" one of the human police officers asked a Bengal officer.
He hesitated before answering, "That was a Vultrix, sir. Not common at all. Not only that…but one that could do that?" hH motioned to the sky and then the ground where there was a small crater from where the lightning bolt had hit and where I stood.
"I have heard of those", they officer who had been interrogating Pyra came out from behind Pyra and approached the Bengal. Amora pulled Pyra close, fearing what I was already…"Don't they pair with an anthro?" he inquired.
"On most cases, yes, but the alphas…they have always been fond of humans." He replied.
That created a long pause of silence between them as they looked at Pyra all at once. They were the only ones without uniforms that were there. They started walking our way, "What do they want? Normally?" The interrogator asked.
They were getting closer… "To protect their bonded as they call it", the Bengal replied.
As they came within 8 feet, all three of them drew their weapons, "Hands on your head!" Fear was apparent in their eyes. Amora did as they told but I would not have this. Humans threatening Pyra?
The necklace glowed, and I poured my energy through the bond. Her eyes lit up bright indigo and I spoke, a sort of static tone, through her, "No."
The Bengals eyes went wide, and other officers joined their line. "We said, put your hands on your head!" I raised Pyra's arm with an outstretched hand. I drained all kinetic motion from the guns firing pins.
Click. Click. Click. The guns were useless. Hand still outreached, I reached into their minds with an emp wave and scrambled their prefrontal cortex, and all of the officers and any surrounding people in the area grabbed at their heads. Amora stood up and shook Pyra, "Fluxx, don't kill them! Don't kill them!" I turned Pyra's gaze towards her foster mom. The white wolf anthro's eyes were wide with concern. "I am merely clearing their short term memory Amora", I replied. Everyone in the area fell to the ground, including those inside the precinct. I lowered her arm and released the hold…the energy dissipated… 'I am sorry Pyra', I retreated to myself in shame.
'No, no, you did what you needed too. Thank you', her thoughts reached me.
"Mom? Lets go before they wake up", Pyra stated and they both rushed to the parking lot at the side. Jumping in, Amora tried to start up the car… "Fluxx? A little help? You killed the car battery", Amora stated with a hint of humor.